Christopher Evan Welch completes the Off-Broadway cast for the upcoming Second Stage Theatre production of Theresa Rebeck's The Scene, starring Tony Shalhoub, Patricia Heaton and original cast member Anna Camp.

Second Stage Theatre presents the New York debut of the work directed by Rebecca Taichman. Previews are now to begin Dec. 14 towards an official opening Jan. 11, 2007, for a run slated through Feb. 4, 2007.

Following a Second Stage run of her The Water's Edge last season, Rebeck now offers her tale of an out-of-work New York actor (Shalhoub) — married to a news producer (Heaton) — who has an affair with a fresh-faced Ohioan ingenue (Camp) and finds himself more morally and spiritually lost than he was before.

Last seen on Broadway in Festen, Welch's credits also include The Crucible, London Assurance and Off-Broadway's The Pain and the Itch, Romance, Writer's Block, Much Ado About Nothing, Othello, Measure for Measure, A Skull in Connemara, A Streetcar Named Desire and Scapin. His film work includes "The Hoax," "The Good Shepherd," "The Interpreter," "War of the Worlds," "The Stepford Wives," "Keane" and "Marie and Bruce."

Also announced were The Scene design team, which will feature Derek McLane (set), Jeff Mahshie (costumes), Natasha Katz (lighting) and Martin Desjardins (sound). Kelly Hance serves as production stage manager.

Second Stage Theatre continues beyond The Scene with Terrence McNally's Some Men (Feb. 23-April 15, 2007) as well as a spring production yet to be announced. Tickets to The Scene at Second Stage, 307 West 43rd Street (just off Eighth Ave.), are available by calling (212) 246-4422 or (800) 766-6048. For more information, go to www.SecondStageTheatre.com.